Therapeutic chair with tilt top



March 26, 1957 R. B. MOYER THERAPEUTIC CHAIR WITH TILT TOP 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 21, 1953 Ross/er a. Morse,

INVEN TOR. HUEBNERyBEEHLE/i. WORIPEL a HEPZIG A 7'TORNEVS.

March 26, 1957 R. B. MOYER 2,786,512

THERAPEUTIC CHAIR WITH TILT TOP Filed Dec. 21, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ROBERT B- MOVER,

INVENTOR.

VHUEBNER, BEEHLER; WORRE'L a HERZ/ a 9 A T TOP/V5 Y5.

March 26, 1957 R. B. MOYER THERAPEUTIC CHAIR WITH TILT TOP 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 21, 1953 9 R99 e m wmm 0 EEN M 3 w R TI ELA R NE 5 n 8 W 0 R HW March 26, 1957 R. B. MOYER THERAPEUTIC CHAIR WITH TILT TOP 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 21, 1.953

R m, 5 E m N H9 a a o N m n m an E 8R R W Unit S es. Pate t? THERAPEUTIC CHAIR WITH TILT TOP Robert B. Moyer, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December- 21, 1953, Serial No. 399,360

10 Claims. (Cl. 155-43) This invention relates to therapeutic apparatus, and more particularly to a combination therapeutic chair and tiltable top adapted for use as a tilt-board, especially for the correction of sacroiliac slip, as a massage table, or the like.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a comfortable and attractive chair construction which is nevertheless capable of being unfolded for use as a therapeutic table, and more specifically, a tilt-board.

It is also among the'objects of the invention to provide such a new and improved combination of chair and tiltboard construction which is capable ofready conversion from one use to the other in a simple and effective manner with a minimum of parts, but with utmost safety.

It is also among the objects of the invention to provide new and improved unlocking, latching and supporting means for a device of the desired character described, including details of construction and arrangement for storage, as will hereinafter appear.

It is also among the objects of this invention to provide improvements over prior art devices heretofore intended to accomplish generally similar purposes, to enhance the appearance, and to simplify the construction of such prior art devices.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a chair embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the chair in an initial stage of unfolding.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing a further stage of unfolding movement.

Figure 4 is a similar view showing a final stage of unfolding movement wherein the chair forms a top usable as a massage table, or the like.

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the table top construction usable as a tilt-board.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken as on a line 6 6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a detailed view in vertical section as on a line 7--7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detailed perspective view of an auxiliary support member, as illustrated at the lower lefthand portion of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view enlarged as on a line 99 of Figure 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown by way of illustration but not of limitation a chair having preferably the appearance of a conventional easy chair 20, including a back 21, side rails 22 integral with vertical side body portions 23, and a seat 24. A

2,786,512 Patented Mar. 26,1957

fabric-formed skirt 25 may surround and conceal the lower portion and legs, if any, thereunder.

Angle irons" or the like supports 26 and 27 comprise frame side rails, preferably concealed in the back 21 in their upper portions, and pivotally secured as by brackets 28 by means of a hinge bar or pin 29 in the side 23 of the chair, preferably in the upper portions of said side in the area of the rails 22.

The seat 24 is formed as, for example, with a wooden base 30, secured as by a strap-hinge 31 to a rod 32 around which said seat pivots.

Also attached by pivotal securement or knuckle joint 33 to said side rails 26 and 27, are angle iron extensions 35 and 36, respectively. A cross rail 37 connects the ends of the rails 35 and 36, and optionally includes an additional support 38 to which individual shoes 39 and 46 are secured as by nuts and bolts 41. Said shoes include, for such purpose, wooden soles 42, or the like, and conventional leather uppers 43, with ties 44.

Any suitable extensible supports 45, 46 are provided on opposite sides 23 of the chair and they are adapted to pivot inwardly, as upon pins 47, preferably in response to inward pressure as through apertures 48 in said sides 23. Thebrackets 45' are advantageously notched, as at 49, for bearing engagement and for frictional detentionagainst any suitable railsor shoulders St? provided in the sides 23 of the chair. A stop 51 is also provided in said side for limiting the extent of the retraction of the pivoted support as shown most clearly in solid outline in Fig. 7, the extended position of said pivotal supportor bracket being" shown in dotted outline in said figure;

The extensions 36 in their folded position under the chair are retained as by means of a transverse bar or other suitable latch 53, having an accommodating notch 54 therein for retaining the cross-member 37, as shown in Figures 2 and 6.

In the extended position of the extensions 36 the inner margins of the side rails 26 and 27 provide stops to insure alignment of the rails 26 and 27 with extensions 36 due to the fact that the pivots 33 are spaced longitudinally of the ends 56 of said rails 26 and 27. A

latching means 57 comprises a plate 58, secured to the underside of the seat 24, and pivotally supporting at 59 a handle 60 which is in turn pivoted at 61 and 62 to latch members 63 and 64, guided by pin and slot connections 65 and 66, for latching and supporting the joints at 33 in a rigid extended condition when the seat is nested between the rails and extensions and thereby latched thereaginst.

The rear legs 68 are cylindrical and are secured to a rear body portion of the chair as indicated in Figure 6. They may be provided with sleeves 69 to which they are secured against axial removal by means of pins 79, but which are adapted to be turned through an angle of say 90 degrees, so as to permit the rearward extension of feet to a dotted outline position, for example 81, as shown in Figures 6 and 8.

Also optionally secured to the top edge of the frame of the back 21, as by means of a hook construction 82, is a headrest 83, to the frame of which the hook is attached. The headrest is normally contained within suitable storage rack 84, when not secured to the frame of back 21.

The back, seat and headrest preferably include a wooden base or support 34, 30 and 85, respectively, having a body of resilient material therein such as a foam rubber cushion 86, 87 and 88, respectively, and each of said portions is preferably trimmed with any suitable fabric material 89, in conformity with good similarly treated.

In the use of the instant apparatus, the same being initially in its chair form foldable appearance as in Figure l, the seat is raised, thereby lowering the back to a horizontal position and the seat to a vertical position as shown in Figure 2. The seat is then disengaged from the extensions 35 and 36 by further disengaging movement of the seat in a counterclockwise direction from the position ilustrated in Figures 2 and 3, permitting the side rails 35 and 36 to assume a horizontal position as shown in the latter figure. The shoe support 38, which is pivotal optionally at 90, is moved to a position for use as illustrated in Figure 3, where it is retained in place as by removable pins 91, on each side of the apparatus, said shoes being folded normally downwardly when not in use, to a position shown most clearly in Figures 2 and 6.

The seat is then lowered to a position horizontally disposed upon the rails 26 and 27 around its pivot 32, and preferably also thereby overlying the joints which includes the pivots 33 and the extensions 35 and 36.

Thereupon the seat portion in its horizontal position against said rails and extensions is elevated to a position as illustrated in Figure 5. The handle 69 is manipulated by moving the same counterclockwise as shown in said Figure 5, extending the latch members 63 and 64, and locking said joints against the bottom of the seat 24, securely holding them in position of extension.

The pivotal brackets 45, if they have not already been so moved, are next moved inwardly, as by manual pressure, through the openings 48 on the outer side of the chair sides 23, or otherwise as desired. The apparatus is then in position for use as a massage table as illustrated in Figure 4-, or in dotted outline in Figure 5.

In order to use the same as a tilt-board, the subject sits upon the same and secures his feet within the shoes 39 and as. The apparatus may then be tilted vertically, or if desired, to a position of substantial verticality, as illustrated in Figure 5, and retained in such position for any desired period, whereupon it may again be lowered to a horizontal. position.

In the horizontal position of the seat illustrated most clearly in Figures 1, 4 and 6, a. flap of fabric or the like material 95 depends from the front edge of the seat concealing the contents stored below said seat, said flap being drapable over the seat as shown, for example, in Figure 3, during adjustment of the apparatus as above described.

Although i have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent structures and devices.

I claim:

1. A combination chair and therapeutic apparatus comprising: side frame means, back means pivotally secured between and to said side means on a horizontal axis, said axis being spaced upwardly from the lower edge of said back means, seat means pivotally supported on the back means at the lower edge of said back means on a horizontal axis spaced downwardly from but parallel to said first-mentioned horizontal axis, said back means having frame members extending below said lower edge of said back means but rigid with said back means and supporting said second-mentioned horizontal axis, frame extension means, means to support said frame extension means on said frame members, bracket means extensible from said side frame means to support said seat means horizontally, and latch means on the underside of the seat means engageable with said back frame members and said extension means for securing said members and last-named means together for preventing relative angular movement of said back frame members and extension frame means.

2. An apparatus as described in claim 1, said extension frame means including foot support means spaced forwardly of said seat means in said last-named position of said extension means.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, including retractable bracket means spaced horizontally from and rearwardly of the front end of said seat means for releasably retaining said seat means in alignment with said back means and in a horizontal position between said side means.

4-. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, cylindrical leg means vertically depending from and supporting said apparatus, sleeve means rotatably secured upon said leg means, and a foot integral with said sleeve adapted to be rotated therewith for supporting said apparatus against rearward unbalancing movement.

5'. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said frame members for said back having a pivotal securement to said frame extension means and overlapping locking means at said pivotal securement operable to lock or unlock said frame members and said frame extension means, said extension means having a position folded beneath said seat means when said seat means and said back means are in chair forming position between said side means.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, including headrest means and releasable means for securing said head-rest means to the upper edge of said back means.

7. A chair adapted for use as a therapeutic table and tilt-board, said chair comprising: vertical chair body sides, a back and a seat, said back having a pivotal securement to said sides on a horizontal axis, said back having a further pivotal securement to the back edge of a seat along a horizontal axis normally spaced downwardly from said first-mentioned axis, drapabie means Secured to the front edge of said seat and normally draping downwardly to conceal that portion of the chair between the sides and beneath the scat, means to support said seat and back between said chair body sides when said chair is used as a seat, said back being tiltable to a horizontal position upon its axis whereby said seat is carried forwardly and upwardly, said seat in said position of forward and upward movement being pivotal downwardly relative to said back on the pivotal securement between said seat and said back when said support means is released, bracket means extensible from said chair body sides to support said seat in a horizontal position, and means for locking said seat and said back in said last-named position wherein said seat and said back collectively lie in a horizontal plane as and for a therapeutic table, said last-named means comprising frame side rails extending from said back in the plane thereof and integral with said back and underlying said seat in the last-mentioned position thereof, said frame side rails having extension members for supporting said seat in said latter position, including a knuckle joint on the frame side rails and extension members and means for locking said knuckle joint under said seat.

8. A chair as defined in claim 7, said extension members having at a forward end thereof means for securing the feet of the user, said back, seat and frame side rails being pivotal rearv/ardly and upwardly upon the axis supporting the back between said sides as and for a tilt-board when said back, seat and frame side rails are in the same plane, retractable means in the chair sides extensible manually and selectively inwardly under said frame side rails to support the same in a horizontal position between said sides.

9. A chair as defined in claim 7, said knuckle joint when said chair is folded into a position for use as a seat, having a retracted position beneath the seat and back and means to retain said extension members in said retract-ed condition diagonally between the floor and said seat.

10. A chair as defined in claim 8, including foot securement means and means for positioning said foot secure- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Evans Jan. 31, 1888 6 Salquist June 30, 1896 Savidge Mar. 17, 1903 'Thomas May 4, 1909 Vaill Sept. 14, 1915 Silva May 12, 1931 Jerdee Nov. 18, 1952 

